System for transferring articles from a container

Abstract

An automated system for transferring articles from a container. An item transfer system includes a rotatable tray rotary assembly, a translatable and rotatable intermediate rotary assembly, and a translatable and rotatable output rotary assembly. The system is configured to transfer articles from the tray to processing equipment by an automated process including rotationally transferring the articles from the tray to the intermediate rotary assembly and rotationally transferring the articles from the intermediate rotary assembly to the output rotary assembly. The output rotary assembly can move to align with a shelf or other input of the processing equipment and a paddle assembly can slide the items from the output rotary assembly onto the shelf or other input of the processing equipment.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A tray content transfer system comprising:
 a tray rotary assembly, the tray rotary assembly comprising a retainer configured to releasably secure a tray within the tray rotary assembly, wherein the tray rotary assembly is rotatable about a first axis; 
 an intermediate rotary assembly movably coupled relative to the tray rotary assembly, the intermediate rotary assembly being rotatable about a second axis parallel to the first axis, being translatable along a horizontal axis perpendicular to the second axis, and being translatable along a vertical axis perpendicular to the second axis and the horizontal axis, the intermediate rotary assembly comprising:
 a first platform having a plurality of first slots therethrough parallel to the second axis; and 
 a plurality of movable first fingers extending through the first slots and configured to support one or more items therebetween; and 
 
 an output rotary assembly movably coupled relative to the tray rotary assembly and the intermediate rotary assembly, the output rotary assembly being rotatable about a third axis parallel to the first axis, being translatable along the horizontal axis and the vertical axis, the output rotary assembly comprising:
 a second platform having a plurality of second slots therethrough parallel to the third axis; and 
 a plurality of movable second fingers extending through the second slots and configured to support the one or more items therebetween. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The tray content transfer system of  claim 1 , further comprising a controller configured to rotate the tray rotary assembly, the intermediate rotary assembly, and the output rotary assembly, to translate the intermediate rotary assembly and the output rotary assembly along the vertical axis and the horizontal axis, and to move the first fingers and the second fingers, in a predetermined sequence to transfer the one or more items from the tray to an output location, the predetermined sequence comprising:
 receiving the tray containing the one or more items on the tray rotary assembly; 
 moving the intermediate rotary assembly to a position above the tray rotary assembly and a rotational orientation in which the first platform is parallel to a bottom surface of the tray; 
 simultaneously rotating the tray rotary assembly and the intermediate rotary assembly to rotationally transfer the one or more items from the tray rotary assembly to the intermediate rotary assembly; 
 moving the output rotary assembly to a position above the intermediate rotary assembly and a rotational orientation in which the second platform is parallel to the first platform; and 
 simultaneously rotating the intermediate rotary assembly and the output rotary assembly to rotationally transfer the one or more items from the intermediate rotary assembly to the output rotary assembly. 
 
     
     
       3. The tray content transfer system of  claim 2 , wherein at least a subset of the second fingers are retractable fingers configured to retract from an extended position in which the retractable fingers extend through the second slots beyond the second platform to a lowered position in which the retractable fingers do not extend beyond the second platform, the lowered position permitting items to slide along the second platform over the retractable fingers. 
     
     
       4. The tray content transfer system of  claim 3 , further comprising a paddle assembly including one or more paddles configured to slide items along the second platform when the second platform of the output rotary assembly is aligned with the output location. 
     
     
       5. The tray content transfer system of  claim 4 , wherein the predetermined sequence further comprises, after rotationally transferring the one or more items from the intermediate rotary assembly to the output rotary assembly:
 moving the output rotary assembly to a position in which the second platform is aligned with the output location; 
 retracting the retractable fingers to the lowered position; and 
 causing the one or more paddles to slide the one or more items from the output rotary assembly to the output location. 
 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 4 , wherein the one or more paddles are sized and spaced to fit between the plurality of movable second fingers of the output rotary assembly. 
     
     
       7. The tray content transfer system of  claim 2 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 determine a first finger spacing between the plurality of first fingers following the rotational transfer of the one or more items from the tray rotary assembly to the intermediate rotary assembly; and 
 move the plurality of second fingers to a second finger spacing corresponding to the first finger spacing prior to rotationally transferring the one or more items from the intermediate rotary assembly to the output rotary assembly. 
 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 7 , wherein the one or more items comprise at least letters, envelopes, postcards, or flats. 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 8 , wherein the first finger spacing is determined based on a compression force detected at one or more sensors disposed on one or more of the first fingers. 
     
     
       10. The tray content transfer system of  claim 2 , wherein the output location comprises a shelf associated with an item processing apparatus. 
     
     
       11. The tray content transfer system of  claim 2 , further comprising a sensor configured to detect the presence of the tray within the tray content transfer system, wherein the controller is configured to initiate the predetermined sequence based at least in part on detecting the presence of the tray. 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 11 , wherein the sensor comprises at least a proximity sensor, a light gate, a photoelectric sensor, a pressure sensor, a force sensor, a profile sensor, an optical pattern recognition device, or a camera. 
     
     
       13. The tray content transfer system of  claim 2 , wherein the controller is further configured to translate the intermediate rotary assembly along the horizontal and vertical axes while rotationally transferring the one or more items from the tray rotary assembly to the intermediate rotary assembly, such that the first platform remains parallel to the bottom surface of the tray. 
     
     
       14. The tray content transfer system of  claim 2 , wherein the controller is further configured to translate at least the intermediate rotary assembly or the output rotary assembly along the horizontal and vertical axes while rotationally transferring the one or more items from the intermediate rotary assembly to the output rotary assembly, such that the second platform remains parallel to the first platform. 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 2 , wherein receiving the tray containing the one or more items comprises positioning the tray rotary assembly at a first rotational orientation in which a tray-receiving surface of the tray rotary assembly is aligned with an input conveyor configured to supply trays containing items. 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 15 , wherein the predetermined sequence further comprises rotating the tray rotary assembly to a second rotational orientation in which the tray-receiving surface of the tray rotary assembly is aligned with an output conveyor configured to receive empty trays. 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 16 , wherein the output conveyor is disposed below the input conveyor. 
     
     
       18. The tray content transfer system of  claim 1 , wherein the retainer comprises a suction device configured to exert a suction force against a bottom surface of the tray. 
     
     
       19. The system of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the plurality of movable second fingers are slidable and retractable fingers configured to slide longitudinally along the plurality of second slots and to retract and extend through the plurality of second slots. 
     
     
       20. The system of  claim 19 , wherein the slidable and retractable fingers are configured to retract and extend by tilting between a retracted position parallel to the second platform and an extended position perpendicular to the second platform.